Never ever bet the favourites, that's lame. It's not even playing the game really...
Here in England (a country where there is a betting shop on practically every corner - they've closed down all the banks, they're now bookies and what seems like half of the male population hang out there, all day every day) and yet it took them like 4 years to debate in parliament about whether we should have a national lottery)), the main sports betting is and has always been the horses.
I love doing the football (soccer to you). You can get 10 or 20 to 1 on the first goal scorer, or Rooney to lose his temper and get sent off at 25-1 etc. etc.
Liverpool are going to trash Milan on Wednesday.
I don't care about Chelsea v Man U tomorrow, but will probably have it on just to see the new Wembley.
The trouble with the first goalscorer bet is that they don't announce who is on the pitch and who is on the bench till just before kick-off, so you takes your chances. Having a little bet on the game makes it so much more fun to watch though...
I obviously don't go into the betting shop myself. I have an uncle up in Liverpool who is now retired and we chat on the phone and he does the bets. We pick the horses together on a Saturday morning and often watch it together on the TV in the pm. I pick silly names which hit me straight away and I often win. I'm lucky it seems. He picks by reading the form and knows exactly what he's doing and he wins more often than me.
When he comes down to London to visit me, we go off to Ascot or Sandown or Kempton for a day out. We always win something. Great day out. One time I had Bongo Fury at 33-1 and he came in. We also always play any horse with the letters linda in its name, that's funny and we're not losing on that ploy either.
I think the trick is to set yourself a limit for the day and walk away after that. That way you don't lose and you have a good day.
The horses are such an adrenalin rush, (can't wait till I see a horse called adrenalin, it's got my name in it), it's all over in a few minutes. Uncle Alan also bets on the golf and the snooker and almost always picks the winner. No, what he does is places a bet each way and does 1st and 2nd and mixes them all up and he very rarely loses.
>>>Try Ladbrokes or PaddyPower...
xL
ps: so here's the runners in the Grand National...
FUTURE EVENTS
John Smith's Grand National
NO. HORSE / TRAINER PREVIOUS ODDS Odds Add to Slip
Butler's Cabin 20/1
Hot Weld 20/1
Bewleys Berry 25/1
Mckelvey 25/1
Point Barrow 25/1
Silver Birch 25/1
Slim Pickings 25/1
Joes Edge 33/1
Nine De Sivola 33/1
Parsons Legacy 33/1
Simon 33/1
Zabenz 33/1
Longshanks 40/1
Ossmoses 40/1
State Of Play 40/1
Ballycassidy 50/1
Philson Run 50/1
I like Zabenz (that's the one that hits me immediately), but I haven't looked at what number he is or what colours the jockey is wearing yet, or even who the jockey is.
On the proper Ladbrokes website, it obviously shows everything. And yeah, I often make my final decision based on what colour silks they've got on.
xL
